... where I ramble on about my love of quilting with my work in progress, share some of my day's doings, and offer some sewing tips along the way... You can find my completed projects on my web page at www.kwiltnkats.com. Comments make me smile =^.^=...

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Projects
coming out of my sewing room in 2015 numbered 25 surprisingly the same as last
year. Twelve projects await their turn under
the long arm as the year draws to a close.
I do keep my queue active! It
nearly always ends up when I get one quilt finished I'm adding another one (or two) to Kerry’s Quilting. I'm proud to say that I'm Kerry's most active quilter, forever keeping her machine busy!

Continuing
the trend of using the fabric I have, nearly 250 yards of cotton have been sewn
into some wonderful quilts. Kabuki,
Katchaklaus, and Kristoff are just a few of the crazy names attached to
them.

My Project So Far (yet to be named)
Lucy Boston's Patchwork of the Crosses

I
attended a couple of workshops during the year one of which was making a unit
called hexies, a nice technique for times when a sewing machine is not at
hand. The workshop was held at the San Diego Quilt Show. If there is a Buggy Barn workshop and I haven't had the pleasure to make the project...consider me signed up! I attended one of them at Paradise Sewing in Poway, CA where “princely frogs” emerged. And sadly due to lack of sign-ups the second workshop Believe! was cancelled. Kerry and I made the best of the carved out time at my place where my dining and living rooms were converted into a workshop making "flying Santas". DH even took our lunch orders and brought us lunch that day.

Kristoff
Prince Charming by Buggy Barn

Katchaklaus
Believe! by Buggy Barn

I
was lucky that my skills were once again displayed at 2015 Road to CaliforniaQuilter’s Conference and Showcase.
Kookaburra sure did speak out with its impressive use of 30s theme
fabrics and a black print background. I
didn’t try for the 2016 show, but
I’ll certainly be considering the 2017 show as fabric runs across my sewing
table in the coming year.

Kristmas Keepsakes
August 2015 UFO
Under the Tree by Snap Sak Small Quilt

I
finished my 2015 goals, a quilt finished each month through the year. You can see my 12 HERE, all of them
done! Once again this year I devoted my
stitching to mostly projects from designs collected over the years. Funny what appealed to us in our earlier
quilting years don’t seem to excite as much today. I found that I enjoy smaller units these
days. Let me comment that setting a goal
from start to finish of a Bonnie Hunter design is a challenge within a month;
the nine hour work days get in the way believe me!

Desert Nine-Patch (yet to be named)
2016 UFO
by Karen Montgomery

Next
year’s 12, see them HERE, are already identified and I am ready for the challenges
they will bring. Kontentment, Kissin’
Korner, Konstant Konnections, and Kookoo Katchu arejust
a sampling of the crazy “K” names you’ll be hearing about. I’m also looking forward to working my batik
stash with Desert Nine-Patch and Kayenne. It is likely I will be adding several fabrics
from my favorite local quilt shops in 2016.

The San Diego Humane Society continued with a quilt donation for their annual Fur
Ball fundraiser along with other charities looking for help to meet the needs
of humanity.

Konstituent
March 2014 UFO
2015 San Diego Quilt Show Participant
Building Blocks by Sharyn Craig and 60 Pieced Borders by Judy Laquidara

Quilts
were displayed at the San Diego Quilt Show in 2015. Not nearly the quantity that the audience saw
in 2014. This is a great venue to display
and possibly sell if that’s what you are hoping to accomplish. I have had good response from colleges here
on whether I should pursue entry in additional shows with my projects as well
as a quilt sale.

Freedom Rings
by Red Crinoline Quilts

Kalvery (Freedom Rings),
Kanton Kull, and Konstitution will be sewn in monthly segments with my sewing
buddy Kerry during the year. I’m really
looking forward to stitching of these “new to me” designers and the fabrics of
the projects. So there’s more you can
expect to hear about for the year ahead.

Today
has me at Part 5 of Bonnie Hunter’s 2015 Winter Mystery Allietare the first instructions where participants start putting the earlier Parts together. If past years are any indication of her
tendencies…I’m guessing the final clues to be released this week. I can hardly wait to see how these beautiful shades
of red, gold, gray, black, and neutral present.

So
which “K” name is your favorite in 2015?
My parade of finishes in 2015 for your viewing pleasure…

I
close this year with Kontentment under the needle along with Krystals and
Kattastic ready for a ride to Kerry’s Quilting.
I have enjoyed my sewing year and the friends new and forever that this
blog has brought to me. Thanks for helping me dream up "K" names for my projects this year and I sure hope you consider getting me out of a naming dilemma in 2016. Hoping that I
hear from you in the year ahead, Happy New Year!

Yesterday I was intrigued to learn how much fabric I have moved around in my sewing room since I started accounting for it. Judy at Patchwork Times has been keeping me accountable along with a bunch of others linking into her website each Sunday. I'd heard about this weekly Stash Report from a fellow quilter and immediately felt compelled to join in. July 2010* was my start. The statistics collected each week are how many yards of fabric were "used", "purchased" and the "net for the year". Each year you start at zero. Our last report for 2015 was yesterday and this is how I ended my year:

Last Purchase of 2015

Used this week: 0 yardsUsed YTD: 251.5 yardsPurchased this week: 9.5 yardsPurchased YTD: 196 yardsNet Fabric Used in 2015: 55.5 yardsWhen I started reading the many linkups posted by others, one of the things several mentioned was how they compared with previous years. So I had to know this too. I must have been a crazy quilter in 2013! If I were to analyze these stats it would appear that I am needing more to finish more...does that mean my stash is dwindling? YearUsedPurchasedNet Fabric Used2015 251.50 196 55.502014 234.25 170 64.252013 377.25 142.25 2352012 290 147.75 142.252011 251.25 111.75 139.502010* 146.75 17 129.75

KontentmentPart 5

Let's get to what will be my first usage of 2016. Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Winter Mystery Allietare has been keeping me busy since the start on Black Friday. Lucky for me I have been able to keep up with her weekly releases. Part 5 started us assembling the previous parts. I stitched on it much of yesterday. Like most of us time is getting shorter to learn what this design is going to look like...anxious!Find time to look at other projects on Judy's Patchwork Times and Bonnie's Quiltville blogs today. See what quilters are working on around the globe. Next time for me to post will be December 31, 2015 with my 2015 At A Glance post. Come join me then for a review of my year.

I had Part 4 of Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Winter Mystery Allietare done on Christmas Night. I watched a couple Christmas Movies and DH preferred to watch basketball. My sewing room was calling to me... I was anxious to have this Part done before Saturday's release of Part 5 which I started assembling the previously sewn units and cut pieces for putting it together. Today I will be sewing Part 5!

This being the last of the Stash Reports for 2015 I'm going out with a bang! An unfortunate closing of a quilt shop in Richmond created an opportunity to use up a $60. gift card in a hurry.

You might recall in June I gifted my niece with a Brother sewing machine and three private sewing lessons. She has been using the machine, but her schedule didn't yet allow her the time to take the sewing lessons. With FaceTime I went shopping across some 3,000 miles using the gift card before the store's closing. Honestly with what she's been sewing I'm not sure she needs the lessons. Her latest project, two mermaid sleep sacks commissioned by a friend for Santa gifts.

These two pieces of fabric were under the Christmas tree. Aren't those cats the cutest? The white piece is five yards large and will be very useful in future projects.

These quilty items were also gifted me. You can see Judy Niemeyer will be coming into my sewing room again soon.

Krates is finished completely now, but yardage has been claimed earlier. So here are how my stats ended in 2015. I'm pleased! Hope to do similar or better in 2016.Used this week: 0 yardsUsed YTD: 251.5 yardsPurchased this week: 9.5 yardsPurchased YTD: 196Net Fabric Used in 2015: 55.5 yardsCheck out how others used their stash in 2015 today at Patchwork Times.

I thought I would have gotten further along with Part 4 than this... There is a lot to this part. I got through the trimming and pressing of the units.

A close up of the fabrics and finally all set up for some stitching later tonight. A holiday party will start my evening. Its Pasta on Earth with hosts Rick and Lainey. We've been so fortunate to know such a wonderful couple. They have welcomed us with open arms to their family tradition for many years. It always takes place on Christmas Eve's Eve and always with pasta. A huge tray or two of homemade cookies for dessert is my contribution to the annual event.

The days are numbering down. I think this will be my last big usage for 2015. I finished Kattastic during the week. Everything came from my stash including the pieced back. Some of these fabrics have been waiting for a project for a long time. Still have a nice stash...will be looking for more projects like this one that can come from my stash in 2016.

Kattastic44" x 60"

The design is by Carolyn Burgess Hughey called Scrappy Cats. Kerry found the pattern sometime ago in The Quilt Life June 2014 magazine issue. I made mine less two columns of cats and 16-patches. I knew from the beginning that making it the 68" x 68" intended size would not work with the yardage I had for the background. Frankly I like that it finished the size it did. It will make a nice lap quilt.

Up until the blacks came to play in Bonnie Hunter's 2015 Winter Mystery I have been using scraps from my stash. I am still using stash, but now into cutting from larger pieces. Sixteen 2" squares are a bit hard to get to. The most of any one of my 2" squares was ten. I have doubled up a bit on the reds to get the matching four in the 30 sets required. I doubt the duplication will be noticed when this beauty comes together. I sure am loving the fabric colors. Today will find me sewing!Hope that your week is full of happy! Before it gets too busy check out how others are using their stash today at Patchwork Times.Used this week: 9 yardsUsed YTD: 251.5 yardsPurchased this week: 0 yardsPurchased YTD: 186.5Net Fabric Used in 2015: 65 yards

I've not been able to get back to the final assembly yet. This week has been a busy one for me. I have all the paper off the back of the cats. Should be able to complete it this week for sure. I've been thinking all along it was my friend Bonnie who found this cute pattern...when all along it was Kerry. Since I didn't use all the foundation papers I'll be passing them along to Bonnie. I have to figure out borders or perhaps just finish it as it stands now. The stash just might have something I can use.

KontentmentPart 3

Saturday Rebecca helped me with counting. Nothing but scraps trimmed down have gone into Part 3 of Bonnie Hunter's Mystery. I sure want to stay within my stash with this project. So far it is looking pretty good. All 120 4-patches are sewn. Today has been trimming the finished units and pressing.

Earlier this week I shared fabric that I picked up at Sunshine Quilt Guild's auction. It gets added into my stash this week. Turns out that I have been just as busy with my stash this year as with 2014. How about you?Used this week: 0 yardsUsed YTD: 242.5 yardsPurchased this week: 2 yardsPurchased YTD: 186.5Net Fabric Used in 2015: 56 yardsSee others using up their stash through the links at Patchwork Times.

Tuesday was Sunshine Quilt Guild's December meeting. We have a potluck and an auction, and the regular meeting happenings for the holiday gathering. I didn't bid on anything either "live" or "silent", but I did purchase these fabrics from the "buy it now" table. I can always use small scale fabrics. The white is a great neutral and the other two will fit nicely somewhere. The price was right!

Kerry also had a quilt finished for me. Krates came home and is ready for binding. You might remember this project by Emily Cier of Carolina Patchworks called Another Brick in the Wall. Not my UFO; one of my Mom's. I'll be sharing a completed photo once the binding is in place. I plan to use the same background fabric as suggested in the pattern.

I'll be hitting the pillow early tonight. I had a late night last night and a very busy day with holiday get-togethers. Hope you have a great rest of your week.

Oh my goodness my friends in blog-land are very clever indeed. Jennifer came up with Kattastic...it's just purrfect! Just one more cat block to stitch until this project will be ready to assemble. YIPPEE that the background will hold up. The design calls for a small inner border of gray and then a larger one of a light gray dot. I'm sure my stash will have something for the inner border. I have lots of those 2 1/2" units that might make into an interesting pieced border. I will be auditioning over the next day or two.

Kontentment's Part 2 was finished earlier, but today I'm linking up with Patchwork Times and Quiltville! All set for Part 3 on Friday. In the meantime there are three different events to cook for this week. One of them is for Sunshine Quilt Guild's December meeting that is tomorrow evening. I'll be in the kitchen tonight getting my dish together. Hope your week is full of what makes you happy!

I'm busy with Scrappy Cats this past week. Between the Parts of Bonnie Hunter's Allietare Mystery something needs to be done! I'll be making this project as large as the background holds out. The top photo is fabrics for cat six. I may have to rethink the use of the two fabrics on the left as they don't seem to work quite right.

This is cat five; the second brownish cat. The rest will be in shades of brown...how many we'll see.

The nameless project so far. (That is a hint my friends =^.^=) This project needs a name. It is by Carolyn Hughey, brought to us in The Quilt Life June 2014 issue of that magazine.

Yes, Part 2 is done of Kontentment (Allietare). I will be working on Scrappy Cats today after putting up the outside Christmas lights and between loads of laundry. No changes go stash one way or the other. See others using their fabrics through the links at Patchwork Times. Have a wonderful day.Used this week: 0 yardsUsed YTD: 242.5 yardsPurchased this week: 0 yardsPurchased YTD: 184.5Net Fabric Used in 2015: 58 yards

Saturday morning I brought out all my strips in their various storage containers. I spent the next several hours sorting out the fabrics I might be able to use for Kontentment. Directions for Bonnie Hunter's Allietare Part 1 was released on Black Friday...I'm sure you've heard :)!

Funny that with all the strips I have these are the only fabrics that I found might work. Depending on what sizes are needed for this project I plan to use as much of the precut strips before cutting into yardage.

After the "big sort" DH and I headed out for lunch and a stop at Rosie's for the constant gray. Sunday brought the time to stitch the 294 HSTs that are Part 1.

So far only neutral strips have been used for Part 1. I'm pretty pleased with this outcome. I have a pretty good variety of neutrals that include batiks, novelty, solids, flowers, geometric, and my ever present cat fabric.

Part 1 done! Ready for Part 2 on Friday. In the meantime I have some backings to finish stitching and I'll be figuring out a new project to work on between the release of parts in the Mystery. See what others are doing today through the links at Patchwork Times AND stop by and see others who are participating in the Mystery at Quiltville.

Born and raised on the East Coast and settled in 1985 in the paradise called San Diego, California. I've a passion for scrappy, traditional pieced or paper pieced quilting. I enjoy the challenge of using my stash. I have strong thoughts of applique and hand quilting when I don't have to keep my day job. Quilting and sewing have been passed down in my family for at least four generations. I'm lucky to share this passion with my Mom.